~ Theology that is Approachable, Enjoyable, and Relevant

Interior of Stockholm Cathedral – Part I

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post – the interior of the cathedral in Stockholm is beautiful and has a great deal of symbolism – some great and some that I’m not as thrilled with, but hey, everyone has their own opinion.

Let’s start with this…

These show up in cathedrals all over Europe. They are tombstones laid right into the ground inside the cathedral. The idea at the time was that rich people would pay a nice price to be buried inside the cathedral – they believed they would be closer to the altar and hence closer to Christ and would rise before the other schmucks outside when Christ came back.

The thing that I like to point out is that nothing is permanent, except for God. Even stone wears away, as you can see in the picture. People think they are important and will be long remembered. The reality is most of us will be forgotten by humanity within three generations. Even if we carve something in stone, the name will no longer mean anything. Only God remembers who we are and frankly, God doesn’t see classes of people, especially when they are dead.

Picture #2

Let’s stick with the whole dead theme. Here’s a lovely tomb in the Cathedral. You know this couple paid a pretty penny to have tombs like this and inside the cathedral. Guess what though – they died too. Just like the poor people buried elsewhere.

Picture #3

I saw plenty of these candle globes in Stockholm churches and in various parts of Finland. I didn’t like them at first, but they really grew on me. There is a ton of symbolism in the globe with candles. Each candle could represent Christ’s light covering the earth. Each candle could represent a prayer intention of a person or for a person. The neat thing is that each candle is the same – just like we are.

Next up – some great scenes from Jesus life inside the Cathedral, or “yeah, that’s what it’s about.”

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I believe that God, church, and theology are approachable, enjoyable, and relevant for everyone. I write about this a lot because people need to hear it. So many people feel lost, hopeless, alone, and are searching for identity and meaning.
I'm an ELCA Pastor (Lutheran) who has a background in politics, business, and the non-profit worlds. I take churchy theological ideas and words and communicate them in everyday language that people can understand, in ways that relate, and show that God, church, and theology matter a great deal. Oh, and it doesn't have to be boring either - mostly because it's the best news ever!